Prioritize based on the team’s skillsets.Ī cross-functional product team might also find itself constrained by the experience and expertise of its developers. Then, using the development department’s budget as the guide, the team can figure out which items they can complete. What if a development team’s limiting factor is not a deadline but a tight budget imposed by the company? Working with the product managers, the team can use MoSCoW first to decide on the initiatives that represent must-haves and the should-haves. For example: Prioritize based on budgetary constraints. How Can Development Teams Use MoSCoW?Īlthough Dai Clegg developed the approach to help prioritize tasks around his team’s limited time, the MoSCoW method also works when a development team faces limitations other than time. Some teams decide to differentiate between those by creating a subcategory within this group. Some initiatives in the “will-not-have” group will be prioritized in the future, while others are not likely to happen. If initiatives are in this category, the team knows they are not a priority for this specific time frame. Placing initiatives in the “will-not-have” category is one way to help prevent scope creep. The category can manage expectations about what the team will not include in a specific release (or another timeframe you’re prioritizing). One benefit of the MoSCoW method is that it places several initiatives in the “will-not-have” category. So, initiatives placed in the “could-have” category are often the first to be deprioritized if a project in the “should-have” or “must-have” category ends up larger than expected. However, compared with “should-have” initiatives, they have a much smaller impact on the outcome if left out. “Could-have” initiatives are not necessary to the core function of the product. Could-have initiativesĪnother way of describing “could-have” initiatives is nice-to-haves. For example, performance improvements, minor bug fixes, or new functionality may be “should-have” initiatives. “Should-have” initiatives are different from “must-have” initiatives in that they can get scheduled for a future release without impacting the current one. However, the initiatives may add significant value. If left out, the product or project still functions. They are essential to the product, project, or release, but they are not vital. Should-have initiatives are just a step below must-haves. If the product won’t work without an initiative, or the release becomes useless without it, the initiative is most likely a “must-have.” 2. If you’re unsure about whether something belongs in this category, ask yourself the following. The “must-have” category requires the team to complete a mandatory task. For example, if you’re releasing a healthcare application, a must-have initiative may be security functionalities that help maintain compliance. They represent non-negotiable needs for the project, product, or release in question. But, first, let’s further break down each category in the MoSCoW method.Īs the name suggests, this category consists of initiatives that are “musts” for your team. With the groundwork complete, you may begin determining which category is most appropriate for each initiative. If you can establish how to resolve disputes before they come up, you can help prevent those disagreements from holding up progress.įinally, you’ll also want to reach a consensus on what percentage of resources you’d like to allocate to each category. Then, all participants must agree on which initiatives to prioritize.Īt this point, your team should also discuss how they will settle any disagreements in prioritization. First, key stakeholders and the product team need to get aligned on objectives and prioritization factors. How Does MoSCoW Prioritization Work?īefore running a MoSCoW analysis, a few things need to happen. But because MoSCoW can prioritize tasks within any time-boxed project, teams have adapted the method for a broad range of uses. You can find a detailed account of using MoSCoW prioritization in the Dynamic System Development Method (DSDM) handbook. He designed the framework to help his team prioritize tasks during development work on product releases. Software development expert Dai Clegg created the MoSCoW method while working at Oracle. What is the History of the MoSCoW Method? Some companies also use the “W” in MoSCoW to mean “wish.” The acronym MoSCoW represents four categories of initiatives: must-have, should-have, could-have, and won’t-have, or will not have right now. MoSCoW prioritization, also known as the MoSCoW method or MoSCoW analysis, is a popular prioritization technique for managing requirements.
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